Earring Magic Ken
Earring Magic Ken is a model of the Ken doll introduced by Mattel in 1993 as a companion to its Earring Magic Barbie figure, one of six dolls in the Earring Magic Barbie line.[1] This generation of the Ken doll featured an updated look, including blonde highlights in its traditionally brown hair, outfits including lavender mesh shirt, purple leather vest, a necklace with a circular charm and, as the name indicates, an earring in its left ear.[2]
Mattel had conducted a survey of girls asking if Ken should be retained as Barbie's boyfriend or whether a new doll should be introduced in that role. Survey results indicated that girls wanted Ken kept but wanted him to look "cooler."[3] The redesigned Ken was the result. Observers quickly noted the resemblance of Earring Magic Ken to a stereotypical gay man, from the pastel-colored clothes to the earring to the necklace, which was described as a "chrome cock ring."[4] Kitsch-minded gay men bought the doll in record numbers, making Earring Magic Ken the best-selling Ken model in Mattel's history.[5]
Despite the commercial success of the doll, a public exposé[6] on the secret meaning of the "circular charm" as a gay sex toy from gay-community commentator Dan Savage in the Seattle, Washington alternative weekly newspaper The Stranger, led Mattel to discontinue Earring Magic Ken and recall the doll from stores.[3][7]
See also
References
- ^ Jones, Amelia (2003). The Feminism and Visual Culture Reader. Routledge. p. 338. ISBN 0-415-26705-6.
- ^ Lawson, Carol (February 11, 1993). "Toys Will Be Toys: The Stereotypes Unravel". The New York Times. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- ^ a b Haig, Matt (2005). Brand Failures: The Truth about the 100 Biggest Branding Mistakes of All Time. Kogan Page. pp. 45–47. ISBN 0-7494-3927-0.
- ^ Paley, Maggie (2000). The Book of the Penis. Grove Press. p. 197. ISBN 0-8021-3693-1.
- ^ Melendez, Mel (Fall 1997). "Show Me Your Billy". Prism. Archived from the original on February 20, 1998. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
- ^ Young, Bryan (July 24, 2017). "How Barbie's Boyfriend Ken Became an Accidental Gay Icon". HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ Savage, Dan (July 22, 1993). "Ken Comes Out". Chicago Reader. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
